PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:        Feb. 22, 2006

Contacts:                                 Theresa Hitchens, 202-797-5269

                                                Victoria Samson, 210-455-7838

                                                Sam Black, 202-797-5281
                                                Whitney Parker, 202-797-5287

A Center for Defense Information Analysis in cooperation with the Secure World Foundation. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Pentagon's fiscal year 2008 (FY 08) budget request funds slightly more than $1 billion in programs that could provide anti-satellite and space-based weapons capabilities, according to a new analysis by the Center for Defense Information (CDI).

In the absence of a clear national strategy to secure the future use of space, the development and testing of such technologies and the deployment of dual-use capabilities without rules of the road for their operations will threaten other nations and drive U.S. policy toward space weaponization.

According to CDI Director Theresa Hitchens, one of the report's authors, “Congress must become more aware of these efforts, and ensure that such programs do not go forward without in-depth scrutiny of their purposes and possible long-term impacts on U.S. space security.”

Hitchens, along with Victoria Samson, CDI research analyst, and Sam Black, CDI research assistant, have combed through the Air Force and Missile Defense Agency’s budget requests and highlighted programs which merit further examination.  Of most concern are the Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) Space Test Bed, the Air Force’s Experimental Satellite Series (XSS) and Autonomous Nanosatellite Guardian for Evaluating Local Space (ANGELS), and the Starfire Optical Range laser facility. The complete analysis is attached and available at:

http://www.cdi.org/PDFs/Space Weapons Spending in the FY 2008 Defense Budget.pdf.

For further information or to request an interview with a CDI analyst:

Theresa Hitchens: thitchens@cdi.org, 202.797.5269
Victoria Samson: vsamson@cdi.org, 210.455.7838
Sam Black: sblack@cdi.org, 202.797.5281

About CDI and the World Security Institute:

The World Security Institute (WSI) is a global non-profit organization committed to independent research and journalism on global affairs.  The Center for Defense Information (CDI) is part of the World Security Institute, whose divisions include CDI, International Media, Azimuth Media and International Programs with offices in Brussels, Cairo and Moscow, and projects in Beijing.  CDI seeks to contribute alternative views on security to promote wide-ranging discourse and debate.  CDI educates the public and informs policy-makers about issues of security policy, strategy, operations, weapon systems and defense budgeting, and pursues creative solutions to the problems of today and tomorrow.  Please visit us on the web at: www.worldsecurityinstitute.org, or www.cdi.org.

# # #